Impact of different sources of credit in creating extreme farmer distress in India

Farmers' Suicides in India: A Qualitative Study of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana States of India

Suicides by the farmers' is increasing in India. From 2005 to 2020, 319,598 famers committed suicide and in states of AP and Telangana this number was 319,598 which is 28% of the total. It implies that more than one quarter of the total number of farmers' who committed suicide in the ountry were from Telangana and AP. Worldwide farming is considered as a high risk occupation for mental diseases. May be because of the nature of farming and the risk of natural calamities. The study aims to identify the factors that contribute to farmer suicides in Telangana andAndhra Pradesh (AP) and to propose preventive solutions for the problem. In this research in-depth interviews were done with the close relatives ofthe person who committed suicide and qualitative methodology is used. We find that the main causes of farmers suicides are economic and not themental health of the farmers.

Understanding the relationship among factors influencing rural tourism: a hierarchical approach

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze the interrelationship between factors conducive to rural tourism development. This touristic segment has enormous potential but still lacks consistent means and measures to ensure rural tourism's holistic development in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study identified 14 factors, of which nine are from the literature review and five are from interaction with the experts, which influence rural tourism development. The research design comprises three segments, i.e. identifying factors from the literature and expert opinion, conducting interviews with the academic experts and managers, and analyzing the responses recorded. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique is used to determine the interlinkage between the factors and develop a hierarchical relationship.

Findings

The results indicate that infrastructure development, growing environmental conscience, support of local government and community, availability of funds with the government and participation of the private sector are the primary factors channelizing rural tourism development. Also, attitudes of locals to adapt, tourist travel motives, marketing of the destination, destination characteristics and recommendation by others are the major dependent factors identified. The findings broaden the knowledge on suitable channels for rural tourism development and provide vital information for the formulation of flexible strategies for developing rural tourism in India.

Originality/value

This paper's originality lies in providing information to clarify the relationships between factors conducive to rural tourism development, an area where limited research has been done.

Adoption of internet of things (IoT) in the agriculture industry deploying the BRT framework

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in the agriculture industry by the farmers' in India using the theoretical lens of the behavioral reasoning theory (BRT).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey on farmers was conducted to examine the adoption of IoT in agriculture industry (IoT-A) using BRT. The data analysis of the primary survey was done by applying the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique.

Findings

The ‘reasons for’ adoption of IoT-A were as follows: Relative advantage, social influence, perceived convenience, and perceived usefulness. The ‘reasons against’ adoption were as follows: Image barrier, technological anxiety, perceived price and perceived risk. The BRT theory provides the platform to discuss the psychological processing of acceptance of IoT in agriculture industry by the farmers.

Practical implications

This research has unique implications as it studies the rural consumers’ behavior of innovation adoption namely IoT in agriculture. It provides the specific reasons ‘for’ and ‘against’ IoT adoption in agriculture, which will give directions to the marketers of IoT technology to develop suitable marketing strategies to improve the adoption in rural areas.

Originality/value

This research takes the first step in the direction toward deliberation of the adoption of IoT-A by farmers in an emerging Indian economy using the BRT theory, which discusses the ‘reasons for’ and ‘reasons against’ adoption in a proposed model.